Written by carolyn on 06 May 2008
Not so long ago, I came across this quotation by Michael Jordan. I printed it out for my sons, who both play basketball, and one of whom faced some real challenges this year during his high school basketball season.
I found that, beyond basketball, it’s a damned good quotation in general, because it speaks the truth in pretty simple and practical words:
“I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”
Whatever you want to do has to be done in spite of the fear of failure.
Post it!
Tags: random inspiration
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Written by carolyn on 25 March 2008
The other day, I was at the gym, into to phase two of my workout, on the Natural Runner (phase one being the Stair Master). I had ended up next to two other gym regulars — a pair of older (than me, at least) black men who often work out together. We all usually nod and say hi, in the way that regulars do, and this day was no different.
I don’t know if others are like this, but I usually don’t feel connected to the other people in the gym when I’m working out there. I notice and register the regulars, say hi to my friends, but otherwise just keep to myself. My workouts are strictly me-time. My husband would tell you I’m not very chatty even when we go together. I just get to it and do my thing. On this particular day, I was focused on a basketball game on one of the televisions, but little snippets of my workout neighbors’ conversation would reach my ears every so often. I wasn’t really paying attention, though, so their talk quickly faded to background noise.
Working away on the Runner, up to level 8, and sweating through my gear, dividing my attention between the stats on the machine and the basketball game.
And then this strikes my ear. . .
“I wish I’d known her all my life.” From the man right next to me.
He said it very simply, but it had to have been the force of the feeling behind it that made me hear it so loud and clear. I had an immediate physical reaction to his words: and it simply took my breath away to share that moment with a total stranger who didn’t even know his words had an effect on me.
I had to smile because, in that moment, I felt a little giddy for the woman on the receiving end of that feeling.
After I got home, his words stuck with me. And the more I thought about it, the more I realized my response to his words put ME on the receiving end of what he was feeling. It’s just that easy for one person to touch another without even trying.
Be always ready for your opportunities for random inspiration.
Tags: random inspiration, slice of life
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